Archive for the ‘Games’ Category

Where The Gamers At? This Weekend: Call Of Duty XP Fan Spectacular

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

Cashmere x E3: Final Exam

Friday, June 10th, 2011

For the final day of E3, Cashmere’s very own visual department took a trip to the video gaming mecca in Downtown Los Angeles.  Just from the first walk-around, it was evident that motion sensor games (Wii U & Kinect) and 3-D games are the future of video gaming.  Many popular first person shooters like House of the Dead and Resistance received 3-D upgrades.  It’s definitely a bit interesting seeing a zombie jump in your face in 3-D.  We didn’t get to test any of the demos but Kinect had a huge lounge dedicated to its various games.

Konami made a splash with the new installment to their popular series Metal Gear Solid, but their largest line was  for their Glee Karaoke game.  Sequels were a big deal, with games like Gears of War 3, Silent Hill, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, Resident Evil and many more.

Activision had the most engaging area by far.  A huge stage with large screens behind it, along with a stadium sound system, let it be known early they were going to pull out some big “guns.” The Transformers trailer for the upcoming game had some people walking away saying that it looked better than the movie trailers.  All of that was forgotten once the Call of Duty MW3 trailer made it’s 2:15pm debut.  Many visitors clamored onto the stage area as they thought curtains were coming down to obstruct viewing. Turns out these curtains didn’t drop far at all and were actually screens.  You had to be there to get the full effect, but let’s just say that a 360º viewing experience really enhanced the intensity of the trailer. All this excitement generated despite Activision not having a single gaming kiosk for attendees to get hand-ons playing time with these games –feel there’s a lesson to be learned there.

Cashmere also got to see an exclusive sneak preview of the anticipated NBA 2K12. Though we can’t reveal many details, we can actually say that 2K still found a way to get better. Possibly the biggest  game to generate buzz worthy chatter is the super collaboration of Street Fighter vs. Tekken.  This is historical to gaming fans as it combines two popular fighting game franchises into one huge game.  Most of these big name games will retail before the end of the year.

E3 2011 Kicks Off in Los Angeles

Tuesday, June 7th, 2011

For one week in June, the world of video gaming ascends onto Los Angeles to dominate pop culture. Names like Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft, converge on the Los Angeles Convention Center for the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo, E3.

Each year at E3, the gaming industry highlights new technology and releases that gamers, hardcore and casuals alike, will be going crazy for this holiday shopping season. Microsoft kicked off E3 yesterday with a press conference showcasing the hottest third party for their system, along with a new Xbox Live  integration for home use. Sony, on the other hand, pushed further in 3D gaming by unveiling a complete 3D gaming bundle that will include a 24-inch 3D television  and 3D glasses.

However, this morning Nintendo unveiled their much hyped,  touchscreen controller system, the Wii U. Promising more responsive motion sensing controls, Nintendo left those in attendance in awe at the possibilities of their new innovative gameplay.

E3 2010 is on-going at the Los Angeles Convention Center until Thursday.

Cashmere Tech Wrap-Up

Friday, April 1st, 2011

BANDSINTOWN DEBUTS FACEBOOK TOUR DATE APP

In the past few months, Bandsintown has quietly been expanding its presence among artists and live music fans on Facebook with the release of their new, cross-platform tour dates app.

While not the only concert app on Facebook, Bandsintown offers a particularly integrated solution. The app enables artists to manage and promote real Facebook events and ticket links on their Facebook pages and across their websites, MySpace pages, Tumblogs and Twitter.

Click to read full article

GOOGLE’S ANSWER TO THE FACEBOOK “LIKE” BUTTON: THE “+1”

Google is making a big new push into social with a feature called “+1” that is similar in purpose to the Facebook “Like” button, but integrated directly into the world’s biggest search engine.

Starting Wednesday, users who opt into the +1 button experiment (and soon everyone else) in Google Labs will start seeing a +1 icon next to each link in Google search results.

Google defines this action as a “public stamp of approval,” and it is exactly that. When you +1 something, your name becomes associated with that link “in search, on ads, and across the web,” according to the company. It also shows up in a feed on your Google Profile, which is required to use the product.

Click link to read full article

SHAZAM SOCIALIZES WITH FACEBOOK FRIENDS

Every day it seems like music is becoming more and more integrated with our online social networks.

For the last two years, over 100 million users have discovered new music through Shazam, identifying songs we’re unfamiliar with, or songs that we know we’ve heard, but can’t quite place. Once a user tags a song, the app allowed us to listen to a 30-second sample, find the song on YouTube, purchase it through iTunes, or share it on Twitter or Facebook.

Last week, Shazam announced a new layer of social music discovery: Shazam Friends, now available for the iPhone, with an Android version coming in the next few weeks. Allowing users to connect to their Facebook friends, with Shazam Friends, users can browse a real-time feed of songs that friends have tagged, see all recent tags from a particular friend in one list, and add friends’ tags to their Shazam history and playlist.

Click to read full article

9 TIPS TO HELP REDESIGN YOUR COMPANY FACEBOOK PAGE

Whether you chose to “upgrade” your Facebook page or not, the new layout is opt-in and permanent as of March 10th.  Here are some new features you may or may not know about.

Click link and scroll through the article to see all the tips

6 COMMON EMAIL MARKETING MISTAKES SMALL BUSINESSES MAKE

If email seems a little old school to you, you’re right. Email turns 40 this year, and it’s being outpaced by texting, instant messaging and Facebook messaging. As Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg pointed out last year, email is too much of a “cognitive load” for younger people.

Yet you probably haven’t given up your Gmail account yet, have you? That’s because, despite the stigma of being a middle-aged technology, email is still useful and universally accepted. In fact, those who make a living from email marketing say there’s never been a better time to do what they do.

“Email marketing is getting more exciting because of some of the things you’re able to do with it,” says Chip House, vice president of relationship marketing at ExactTarget, “because of the ability to bake in social sharing. You can follow me on Facebook or tweet about this.”

For small businesses, email still represents a cheap, effective way to establish or maintain a relationship with clients. But there’s the rub. While the medium is fairly neutral-to-positive, the content has the power to either attract or repel. So before you hit “send” on your next batch email newsletters, take heed of these six common email marketing mistakes.

Click to read full article

It’s Lights Out with Fight Night Champion Soundtrack

Tuesday, February 1st, 2011

In conjunction with the Fight Night Champion demo available now on Xbox Live and Playstation Network, EA Sports officially released the tracklisting for the Fight Night Champion soundtrack.

The newest edition in the long-time running boxing franchise boasts a diverse roster of hip-hop artists. The Fight Night Champion soundtrack is made up veteran artist and hot new acts, including: N.E.R.D. rappers Aloe Blacc and Murs & 9th Wonder;  hip-hop bands Chiddy Bang and The Roots; Japanese rapper Lyrics Born; and British MC’s Plan B and Tinie Tempah.

This eclectic mix of songs is sure to get gamers hyped to trade ‘boes, round after round. Check out the full tracklisting below:

1. “I Need A Dollar” – Aloe Blacc
2. “The Loser Wins” – Atmosphere
3. “Round Of Applause” – Black Milk
4. “Old Ways” – Chiddy Bang
5. “Meanstreak (In 3 Parts)” – El-P
6. “I’m The Best (Funky Fresh In The Flesh)” – Lyrics Born
7. “The Problem Is…” – Murs & 9th Wonder feat. Sick Jacken
& Uncle Chucc
8. “I Wanna Jam” – N.E.R.D.
9. “What You Gonna Do” – Plan B
10. “Keep Shining” – Shad
11. “Sinister Kid” – The Black Keys
12. “The Fire” – The Roots
13. “How I Got Over” – The Roots
14. “Make Your Move” – Thunderball feat. Mustafa Akbar
15. “Intro” – Tinie Tempah

And if you haven’t done so already, be sure to watch the Fight Night Champion trailer below. Fight Night Champion will be available for Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 systems on March 1, 2011 . For more information, log onto easports.com/fightnight.

Football and Futbol!!!!

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

EA just released the AFC North and South ratings for the most anticipated (sports) game of the year, Madden NFL ’11. Each year, girlfriends and wives lose their significant other to countless playing time of the sports gaming franchise.

Check out the ratings and sizzle videos for each the AFC North and South divisions below. Madden NFL ’11 hits stores August 10th.

AFC North Team Ratings:

* Baltimore Ravens – 90 (3rd overall)

* Cincinnati Bengals – 86 (T-8th overall)

* Pittsburgh Steelers – 84 (11th overall)

* Cleveland Browns – 70 (28th overall)

AFC South Team Ratings:

• Indianapolis Colts – 91 (2nd overall)

* Houston Texans – 78 (18th overall)

* Tennessee Titans – 77 (T-20th overall)

* Jacksonville Jaguars – 74 (25th overall)

Madden isn’t the only  football game for home consoles coming this fall, as the most popular sport in the world is is back with Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer 2011. The latest footage from PES2011 shows the total freedom of passing, alongside closer looks at its new dribbling, defensive hold-up play, and jostling. The trailer also gives an insight into the new power gauge, while also showing how feints and tricks can be mapped on to the right stick and accessed with ease. Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 hits stores this fall.

Best of E3 2010

Friday, June 18th, 2010

Another year has gone by and the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3 2010, is in the books. With that said, Cashmere’s resident gaming guru, Mr. Anthony Kennedy, has broken down the best of what E3 had to offer by presenting the games you’re sure to want to to be playing this upcoming holiday season.

Best Action Game:

God of War: Ghost of Sparta (SCEA)

Best Fighter:

Mortal Kombat (Warner Bros. Interactive)

Best Racer:

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (EA)

Best Music Rhythm:

Rock Band 3 (Harmonix/MTV Games)

Best Platformer:

Donkey Kong Returns (Nintendo)

Best RPG:

Star Wars: The Old Republic (LucasArts)

Best Shooter:

Spec Ops: The Line (2K Games)

Best Sports:

NBA Elite 11 (EA Sports)

Best PlayStation 3 title:

Little Big Planet 2 (SCEA)

Best Wii title:

NBA Jam (EA Sports)

Best Xbox 360 title:

Halo: Reach (Bungie)

Eminem, Usher Kick Off E3 2010

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

For one week in June, the world of video gaming dominates pop culture. Names like Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, along with a who’s who list of gaming ballers converge onto Los Angeles for one event: the annual Electronic Entertainment  Expo, E3.

Each year, the Los Angeles Convention Center is home to E3 where the gaming industry showcases new technology and new releases that holiday shoppers are going to be trying to cop. Microsoft kicked off E3 yesterday with a two hour press conference debuting the newly named, motion sensing gaming peripheral, Kinnect, their answer to Nintendo’s Wii. Sony and Nintendo will both be holding their press conference events today, which Cashmere is sure will send hardcore gamers worldwide into a frenzy.

But not to be outdone, the night belonged to Activision. The gaming giant behind the Guitar Hero and Call of Duty franchises, rented out the Staples Center –home to the defending NBA World Champion Los Angeles Lakers– last night to celebrate a handful of upcoming releases. Two of Cashmere’s own (Anthony and Kristen) were in attendance for all the musical festivites.

The arena was nearly full by 9:30 as the crowd was treated to back-to-back-to-back DJ sets featuring turntablists Z-Trip, DeadMau5, and David Guetta while R&B superstar Usher took the stage performing a few fully choreographed numbers. Jane’s Addiction, Soundgarden, and NERD took to the stage before the headliner,  Eminem closed out the show performing his new song, “Not Afraid”.

E3 2010 is on-going at the Los Angeles Convention Center until Thursday. And be sure to click on the links below to check out some of last night’s performance.

Cashmere Gets First Look at God of War III

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

You’ll have to excuse us for a moment, Cashmere is still feeling a little giddy from experiencing arguably the greatest video game ever to be made: God of War III. To bring everyone up to speed, God of War III is series star Kratos’ –the mortal Spartan-turned-Greek-God– debut release for the PlayStation 3. After two hugely successful PlayStation 2 releases, Sony fittingly decided to conclude the trilogy on its super gaming console.

Cashmere had a chance to attend Sony’s God of War III event last night in Hollywood and of course get some hands-on playing time with it. This game is everything ‘next-gen’ gaming should be. Fluid , non-glitchy animation, tight controls, superb gameplay mechanics,  and amazing CGI cut-scenes that beautifully showcased in rich 720p HD.

Seriously, it’s stunning what they’ve accomplished and when this game is released, this may be the game changer Sony’s been looking for to gain ground on rivals Microsoft (with their Xbox 360) and Nintendo (with the Wii).

Check out the trailer for God of War III below and get your copy Tuesday, March 16^th.